Film produced in languages other than English must have legible English subtitles. If selected as a Nominee, complete dialogue in English and Italian of the movie must be provided in a Word doc format. English language films will be screened with Italian subtitles. Italian language films will be screened with English subtitles.

MIFF Awards 2018 accepts films completed after January 1, 2017. Please note that: if films have never been shown in Italy - not even at other festivals or events - and so it will be an Italian premiere, there is no completion date requirement.

OPPORTUNITY (FOR FEATURE AND DOCUMENTARY FILMS CATEGORY NON-ITALIAN LANGUAGE ONLY): if the film will be provided with Italian subtitles, the fee will be waived and returned. Please contact programmer@miff.it to know how.

Festival description (Edition: )

Festival start: 21 May 2018
Festival end: 13 June 2018

A high recognition formula specifically designed to make independent filmmakers - and their films - more successful and marketable.

What LDVFS offers is a new concept for International film events - a unique film festival based on the traditional award Nomination selection format originated in the Oscar system made by the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

WIth its Independent Spirit Identity, the Da Vinci Award MIFF Awards it's an event studied for filmmakers/distributors who always necessitate to raise the prestige and the Media impact of their films.

MIFF (from English acronym for Milan International Film Festival), nicknamed by the press as the "Milanese Sundance", has been recognized and distinguished as the official International Cinema exhibition festival of Milan. MIFF existed as a conventional film festival for 10 years, until 2010, reinvented itself as MIFF Awards, a brand new genre in the sphere of film events that featured an avant-garde format developed through an unwavering commitment to support Cinema culture: the Leonardo Da Vinci's Horse or MIFF Awards.

Organized by the non-profit Italian cultural association Leonardo Da Vinci Film Society (LDVFS), MIFF Awards merge a traditional film festival format to selection criteria initiated by AMPAS, nowadays known as the Oscar. Each year, LDVFS selects an eclectic pool of exceptional independent films from all over the world and exhibits the winning films during its showcases in Milan and often bring them touring in other locations.

Prizes and qualifications

FEATURE FILM CINEMA SECTION

1• Best Feature Film (given to the producer)
Elected only by the Audience among the all the Winning Films screened at the festival.
2• Best Documentary Film (given to the producer or director)
3• Best Directing
4• Best Screenwriting
5• Best Cinematography
6• Best Acting Performance Male
7• Best Acting Performance Female
8• Best Editing (shared by Features and Documentaries)
10• Best Supporting Actor
11• Best Supporting Actress
12• Best Music/Song (shared by Features and Documentaries)
13• Best Film in Italian Language (assegnato al produttore o al regista)

Among the Nominee Films or other works not inclued in the program, if there shall be the conditions of presentation with reason related to specific nominee films, in addition to the Official Leonardo's Horses, other Awards could be proposed annually such as:

Green Screen
Ensamble Cast
Costume Design
Make-up
Visual Special Effects
Special Award assigned to works not included in the program

SHORT FILM CINEMA SECTION

1• Best Short Film (15 min max)
2• Best Short Film (from 15 to 30 min max)
3• Best Short Film - Italian Section (30 min max)

Among the Short Nominee Films, if there shall be the conditions of presentation with reason related to the program, in addition to the Official Leonardo's Horses, other Awards could be proposed annually such as:

Audience Best Short Film Award
Special Mentions

Rules

DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

1) Film entries submitted to MIFF Awards go through the selection process by our programming committee. The selected films are then notified of their "nominated for awards" status.

2) The nominated films are then privately exhibited for Leonardo Da Vinci Film Society (LDVFS) Members to determine the Winner in each category.

3) Subsequently, the Film Nominee Winners are invited to Milan to participate to the screenings and receive the Da Vinci Award (all other Nominations will be able to maintain their premiere status).

4) After the screenings the Top Audience Award, Winner among the Nominee Winners' films - and so Best Film Category Winner - will be announced.

For further informations or questions please mail to info@miff.it

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Entry constitutes agreement with MIFF Awards Protocol and Regulations as set forth in the application. Please read the application's rules on-line carefully and communicate it to all appropriate parties of your organization prior to registering your title. The submission of this form does not guarantee any Da Vinci Nomination of your film for MIFF Awards.

Here below the General Terms and Conditions of Entry to which all applicants voluntarily agree submitting the film to the festival.

1. The Selection or Programming Committee's decisions (for the Nominations), LDVFS Members' (for the different Categories Winners) and Audience's voting opinions (for Best Film Top Da Vinci Award Category) are final.

2. MIFF reserves the rights to screen all the Nominee films to LDVFS Members and Awarded films to a public audience during the festival dates and to LDVFS events.

3. Nominee and Winner films reserve the rights to quote the recognition and the respective Winner logos for all activities related to the promotional life of the film and distribution, in Italy and around the world. A Nomination and a Winner logo will be sent as soon as a verdict will be officially reached and announced.

4. A Nominee filmmaker announced as a Winner will be provided with hospitality (accommodation expenses paid by LDVFS) to receive the Da Vinci Award and participate at the festival's Winner screening.

5. The entrants are responsible for the shipping expenses of the format accepted to Milan at the festival and for a LDVFS Members private show online to allow the Winner ballot in each category. MIFF Awards organization will not be responsible for all other associated shipping costs (ie. promotion materials, etc.). Please be aware that different Category rules apply.

6. DVDs submitted for selection previews will not be returned. Please, do not send your original.

7. Missing information may delay processing and/or cause rejection of application. Entries will not be considered unless the submission is completed and the entry fee is paid online at withoutabox.com

8. IMPORTANT FOR ALL NON-ITALIAN FILMS: please inquire at your expedition companies on regulations for clearing the dvd through Italian customs for Cultural porpuse with the minimum charge. MIFF Awards will not cover any customs fees or expenses so the package will be sent back to the sender.

9. Films that will receive television exposure, including network, cable, pay TV and/or theatrical release in Italy prior to the Winners announcement and screenings are not eligible for MIFF Awards. Different Category rules apply.

10. Work-in-progress will be considered only if a “first cut” can be previewed.

11. More than one entry may be submitted by a single applicant. An Entry online, a corresponding Entry Fee and a WAB code (to be written on DVDs or sent via email along with link and password) must accompany each and every entry.

12. Non-profit Cultural Association LDVFS reserves the right to use footage, trailer, title and information of the nominated films for promotional purposes on media (web and archive festival's pages included). MIFF Awards organization also reserves the right to use Nominee or Winner films at any non commercial LDVFS or MIFF Awards hosted event internationally.

13. If your film is nominated for Awards, a film file (specified format requested) must be sent to our Subtitling Department immediately as requested. Your film might be anticipated as a Winner, but if exhibition material is not received early enough to allow the subtitles production, the entry may be forfeited and replaced with the withdrawal of the Nominee Status (filmmaker highlighted in the applications will be contacted shortly after the Nominees are announced). The festival reserves the rights to proceed with a legal action for any damage caused to the organization.

14. Films submitted and accepted as a Nomination must provide press-kit material as set forth in the on-line submission process. A video-trailer downloadable from the internet in a Web format will be requested to the Nominee films announced. Different materials apply to different categories, and various HD items may be added if the film will be Awarded as a Winner.

15. Film produced in languages other than English must have legible English subtitles. If selected as a Nominee, complete dialogue in English and Italian of the movie must be provided in a Word doc format. English language films will be screened with Italian subtitles. Italian language films will be screened with English subtitles. All other films will be screened with Italian and English subtitles*. MIFF Awards Nominees grant permission to “audio-describe” the film for the sight-impaired and to translate and dub dialogues in Italian for promotion purposes.
*FOR FEATURE FILMS AND DOCUMENTARY CATEGORY NON-ITALIAN LANGUAGE ONLY: if the film will be provided with Italian subtitles the fee will be waived, and returned. Please contact programmer@miff.it to know how.

16. If informed in advance, Nominees and Winners are strictly prohibited from communicating their winning status before the Award Ceremony. Divulging the winning status may result in the withdrawal of the Nominee Status or the award.

17. Title of work, category of submission and Festhome registration code must be labeled or well written on DVDs sent for selection or sent along with the link and password if available online.

18. MIFF Awards organization, Non-profit Cultural Association LDVFS, reserves the right to make any necessary changes in regulations or Festival scheduling without prior notice. The changes will be addressed in writing via email to all submitted films.